North Korea Holds Elections for Rubber-Stamp Parliament
Kim Jong-un Skips Assembly Vote for First Time
Local Elections Also Expected in 2024
North Koreans have cast their ballots in an election for the country's parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA). The elections, held on March 10, 2019, are the second such election since Kim Jong-un took power in 2011.
The SPA is North Korea's highest legislative body, although it has little real power and is considered a rubber-stamp parliament. The Assembly's main function is to approve policies and laws proposed by the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).
Kim Jong-un did not stand in the 2019 elections, marking the first time a North Korean leader has not run for the SPA since the country's founding in 1948. No official reason was given for his absence on the ballot, but some analysts speculate that it may have been a sign of his growing confidence in his grip on power.
In addition to the SPA elections, local elections were also expected to be held in North Korea in 2024. However, there has been no official announcement of these elections, and it is possible that they have been delayed or canceled. The lack of communication from the North Korean government on this issue has led some observers to believe that the elections may have been postponed due to the country's ongoing economic difficulties.
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